No More Games
by raccoonsmate4life
Summary: A few months ago, everything about them was in a state of complete chaos and she had hated being alone with her thoughts of their "thing". But now, she welcomes these memories, reveling in how satisfying it is to no longer be so confused about where things stand with them. A follow-up to A Thing In Pieces
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – This is a follow-up to **_**A Thing In Pieces**_** – if you haven't read it, it might give you an idea where this is coming from. This story will be in (at least) two parts and this first part references various scenes from first half of Season 6 up to and including 'Humbug'. I hope you enjoy it!**

_Disclaimer – I still own nothing_

* * *

She's still drifting in and out of sleep when she feels the scruffy chin of her partner - her _boyfriend_ \- peppering kisses on her shoulder. Keeping her eyes closed, she can't help but smile.

"I thought you were going to let me sleep."

"Sorry," he mumbles against her skin, "I couldn't help it," trailing kisses up her neck, "And I take that back, I'm not sorry."

Kensi lets out a quiet chuckle as she opens her eyes and sees Deeks kneeling on the floor beside the bed, his face only inches from hers. He leans over to place a firm kiss on her lips before standing up and she notices he's dressed in his snowboard gear.

"Are you heading out now?"

"Yep, you sure you don't want to come? It's our last day here."

"Oh, I'm sure. I don't think I'll be able to move for days. I'm so sore from snowboarding all week."

Deeks smirks down at her and she knows instantly that she's going to regret that statement.

"I don't think the snowboarding is the only reason you're sore, Fern. We have been rather…busy."

Hiding her face in the pillow, she lets out a long groan. When she looks back at Deeks, he's still grinning at her like the Cheshire Cat.

"You know, you may be right. Maybe I need to take a break from our _other_ activities too," she teases as Deeks sends a slight glare in her direction.

"Yeah, no, that sounds like a terrible idea."

She laughs as she starts making herself more comfortable and wrapping the comforter around her shoulders, wanting at least another hour of sleep. She looks up at him expectedly and he doesn't waste a second leaning down to press a lingering kiss to her lips.

"Go. I really do need the rest and you can get a few runs in before we need to head back to LA."

With one last peck to her forehead, he heads out of the bedroom and Monty trots in when he opens the door. Deeks stops in the doorway and turns back one last time, laughing quietly to himself at the fact that Monty has curled up at Kensi's feet and they both look like they're already half asleep.

"Don't stay there too long, there's coffee and pancakes in the kitchen with your name on them."

"Mmm," the blankets muffling her voice, "you're the best."

Even though she isn't looking at him, she can just imagine the cocky grin plastered to his face. A few second later, the front door clicks shut and she knows he's gone.

* * *

An hour later, Kensi is curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and enjoying the warmth of the fire she started after breakfast. She didn't end up staying in bed for very long after Deeks left, her growling stomach and the promise of those pancakes drawing her out of her cocoon of blankets sooner than she'd planned. Monty, who has been following her around all morning, is snoozing next to her as she gently strokes his head.

She can't help but smile at the serenity of this moment and really, of this whole week. She can't remember the last time she's felt so happy. Gazing contentedly at the flames dancing in the fireplace and glancing down at her sleeping companion, Kensi's mind starts drifting as she recalls various moments the two of them have shared that ultimately led them here.

A few months ago, everything about them was in a state of complete chaos and she had hated being alone with her thoughts of their "thing". But now, she welcomes these memories, reveling in how satisfying it is to no longer be so confused about where things stand with them.

Instead of uncertainty, she lets herself see these memories as a promise of a future.

* * *

That day she showed up at Deeks' place to talk about their relationship had been both emotionally draining and freeing. It allowed them to get to a place where they were moving in the same direction, together. The days and weeks that followed had been exactly what they needed as they fell into a relaxed routine with each other. They sparred, they joked, they picked on each other, but underneath it all, there had developed a new level of comfort and emotional intimacy between them.

"_**I mean as a shipmate. Me, you, split some bills, save some money, maybe get a cooler place."**_

Kensi had _not_ been expecting those words to come out of his mouth as they walked along the water to investigate Hetty's yacht. In the months following their talk, they hadn't once broached the idea of moving their relationship forward again and there he was, suddenly throwing out a seemingly-serious proposition of them living together.

Sure, they had been spending a lot of time together and Kensi felt like they were closer than they ever had been, but living together? Her mind had started reeling and she was caught so off guard by the comment that her instinctual reaction had been to make jokes.

So she stuck to their safe zone of teasing and he played along, like she hoped he would. But she sensed that he had been testing the waters a bit and that gave her a tiny sliver of hope. Hope that maybe Deeks wasn't feeling so hesitant of them anymore and hope that maybe this thing of theirs would sort itself out sooner rather than later.

"_**Partners don't keep secrets."**_

Partners. Damn that word. They always used it when no other word seemed quite right because when it came down to it that _was_ what they were.

She can see now, that it hadn't been the right time to be changing the way they described their relationship, but in that moment in the boatshed, after her painfully unpleasant "chat" with the DOJ woman, Kensi had huffed sadly at Deeks' definition of them. Of course they were partners but they were also more than that, and had been working toward being even _more_ than more than that and she wanted that validation.

She had always hated to let anyone see her vulnerable and she especially hated to let anyone see her cry but when Deeks reached out for her, she had found herself desperate for the comfort that his presence provided.

As she stood there, secure in his embrace, while he muttered words of understanding and support, she recognized that he knew probably better than anyone how detrimental it could be to keep things to herself and to try and pretend things were okay. She realized that maybe it was time to stop keeping so many secrets.

"_**And just like that, the moment is way gone."  
"That's okay, I got more moments."**_

Kensi had never felt so conflicted about Deeks breaking through the seriousness of a situation with a joke. She saw it for what he meant it to be though, a chance for her to regain some composure – he knew that she preferred to be in control of her emotions and looking back, she is grateful that they didn't push to prolong the conversation.

It was a talk they needed to have and one that Kensi found herself actually _wanting_ to have with him but that had been neither the time nor the place. And even without his confirmation, she knew that he would always be there if and when she needed him.

"_**Our Kickass Kensalina has a softer, lacy, lady side that no one knows about but me. And I love it."**_

Kensi was confident that had they not been standing in the Mission, she probably would have given in to her sudden desire to kiss him after that declaration. She may have told him that he sounded creepy after he had rattled off a rather lengthy list of things he knew about her, but in reality, she loved that he knew things about her that even she forgot about. And she loved that he loved that too.

She thinks it was that moment that was a turning point for her. She _wanted_ him to know things about her that no one else was privy to and she wanted to know things about him and she wanted them to learn those things together.

She believed that they weren't quite ready to jump over that invisible line of their relationship yet, but she had known that they were getting closer. And she loved it.

"…_**I'm bringing Monty and we talked about it and we think you should come."**_

Her heart had skipped a beat when he first brought up his plans to go to Mammoth over Christmas. Though he hadn't asked her immediately, she sensed that he had brought it up, seemingly out of the blue, for a reason. She laughed internally as he stumbled over his invitation for her to join him (and Monty).

It wasn't the first time he had suggested they go away together for their little holiday break but unlike the previous time, she could tell that Deeks had been nervous. She hadn't believed the nerves to be because he was afraid she wouldn't want to go, but rather, she sensed the nervous anticipation behind his request. She decided almost immediately that he did _not_ intend for the trip to be just "partners" vacationing together.

After she had somewhat shyly agreed to accompany her two favorite boys on this little trip, she had later found herself panicking a bit. Were they actually ready to take that step? As per their M.O, no words to confirm (nor deny) those thoughts had actually been spoken between them and that had frustrated Kensi more than anything. If they were going to do this, they needed to lay it all out there; leave no doubts.

Later, she had made up her mind that if Deeks wasn't going to bring it up, she would. She wanted, no, _needed_ to know before they packed up his truck and headed out on the road for a 5 hour drive. She just had to find the right time.

"_**I want to be bold, Deeks. But I want to be bold with you."  
"Chips on the table?"  
"All in."**_

She had done it. And it had paid off in spades.

When Michelle had invited the team to go ice-skating that afternoon, Kensi still hadn't known when she was going to work up the nerve to talk to Deeks. She had spent the entire night prior to that day thinking about what she wanted to say and how she would make it clear what she wanted - no more metaphors, no more ambiguity.

As he had held her hand and led her around the ice rink, she had been overcome with the need to talk to him right then. She felt as though she would burst if she didn't say what had been on her mind all night and all day. When he steered her to the wall and had taken off skating, she had felt her courage wavering.

Then, as quickly as he had skated away, he was back. He had stood there and stared at her expectantly and those damn butterflies in her heart had threatened to keep her from saying anything at all. She had seen realization dawn on his face that whatever she was about to say was serious and after one last deep breath, she went for it.

When she had nervously reached for his hand and laced their fingers together, she was physically urging him to understand what she wanted. He had seemed a bit dazed and at first, his expression gave nothing away but as soon as he uttered, "So no more games then?" Kensi had felt her heart release the tension that had been building up.

And in the midst of promises of 'tonight, tomorrow, and the day after,' he had cut her off with a firm, eager, and slightly awkward kiss. It had been as though he couldn't stand to _not_ be kissing her anymore, and it was Kensi's turn to be stunned. As Deeks pulled back slightly, she hadn't been able to stop the small gasp that escaped her lips and she had immediately missed his lips on hers. With goofy grins plastered to both of their faces and as if he had read her mind, he leaned in toward her again and she had readily met him halfway.

He had pulled back one last time, with her face still cradled in his hands, and she had seen the amazement and adoration in his eyes, a look that she knew mirrored hers. They hadn't spoken any more words then, it hadn't been necessary. They were all in and in that moment, nothing else needed to be said.

* * *

Kensi is broken out of her daydream when Monty's head snaps up at the sound of the door to the cabin being unlocked. The door clicks open and a blast of cold air accompanies Deeks inside. Monty is at his feet in an instant and Deeks reaches down to scratch his head.

"Hey buddy. Where's mommy? You keeping her company?"

She makes no effort to move from her warm sanctuary on the couch and looks at him over the top of the cushions.

"_Mommy_ is right here," she replies with a roll of her eyes, though the soft smile on her face betrays the annoyance she was pretending to convey, "and yes, he is."

Deeks rids himself of his snow-covered gear and makes his way over to the couch, leaning over to press an eager kiss to his girlfriend's lips.

"Hi," he breathes out into the air between them as he breaks off the kiss, "I thought you would still be in bed."

"Mmm," she hums as she steals one more peck, "and I thought you weren't coming back until lunch time."

He lifts up her feet as he plops down onto the couch and rests them in his lap. Gently working his thumbs into the soles of her feet, his eyes meet hers and the smile he sends her gives her butterflies.

"Yeah, that was the plan. Then I decided I wanted to spend the rest of our last day here with you, before we have to go back to ridding the world of bad guys. No one to interrupt us, no frantic phone calls from work, just Kensi and Deeks, Deeks and Kensi."

"And Monty," Kensi chuckles as she pulls her feet from his lap and switches her position on the couch so that she's leaning against his side, arms wrapped around his middle.

"Yeah, and Monty."

Deeks shifts slightly and tucks her head to his chest as he drapes an arm around her waist. As he places a kiss on her forehead and nuzzles his nose in her hair, Kensi lets out a contented sigh.

"This is a nice little set-up you have yourself here," nodding his head toward the roaring fire, "what else have you been up to while I was gone?"

"Eh, not much. I got up and had my breakfast – thank you, by the way," she says with a small squeeze of her arms, "otherwise I've just been sitting here, thinking a little."

"Thinking about how awesome I am?"

"You wish," Kensi scoffs but then her expression softens, "Thinking about us, actually. About how I never imagined we'd be here after the year we had. About how I've never been happier to be wrong."

Deeks smiles as he links his hands together around her midsection and pulls her even closer. Gazing into the fire, he rests his head against hers as they sit in a comfortable silence. It's Kensi who interrupts the quiet a few minutes later.

"Things will be okay when we get home, right? I mean, last time we…" she takes a deep breath to rein in the nerves rushing at her, "…shit kind of hit the fan."

Deeks pulls back and turns her chin so that her eyes are focused on his.

"Kens, hey, things will be great. Better than great. This isn't like last time," his gaze is steady, determination blazing through those cornflower blue eyes that she loves, "'All in' remember? No more games, we're being bold together."

She is surprisingly reassured by the confidence in his words and gives him a warm smile and a silent nod in response before he continues.

"And if things are ever less than great, we'll figure it out."

Kensi moves her head back to his chest and snuggles into his strong embrace, content to stay here until it's time for them to pack up and head home. She knows they are bound to hit some bumps in road - it's practically inevitable given their line of work and the fact that they will have to juggle their personal relationship with their professional partnership. Not to mention that despite a four and a half year friendship, navigating the romance and intimacy that comes with being 'all in' is very different and new for both of them.

Pressing a long kiss to the space above his heart, her response is barely a whisper but she's sure he hears it.

"We always do."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N – I originally started writing the first chapter of this story from Deeks' POV, but I was having a hard time organizing my thoughts and formulating a decent story. But, thanks to **_**anonkp**_**, who voiced her wish for a Deeks POV chapter, I decided to give it another go and here it is. The non-flashback piece of this chapter picks up right where we left off. **

_Disclaimer – still not mine_

* * *

"And if things are ever less than great, we'll figure it out," he promises.

Kensi moves her head back to his chest and snuggles in as he holds her close. It's only been a week but Deeks doesn't think he'll ever get tired of quiet moments like this with her.

Of course things won't always be smooth sailing – nothing about their thing has been easy. Plus, they have the added challenge of having to learn to separate Agent Blye and Detective Deeks from girlfriend Kensi and boyfriend Deeks (or Marty? He wonders if maybe she'll start calling him Marty? He doesn't care, as long as she wants to call him _hers_).

His thoughts are interrupted when he feels her press a long kiss to the space above his heart. Her response is barely a whisper, but he hears her loud and clear.

"We always do."

* * *

Not much time passes before Deeks realizes that Kensi has fallen asleep. He shifts them gently to get into a more comfortable position, careful not to awaken her. He loves watching her sleep and he's done a lot of that this week. Leaning down to press a soft kiss to her hairline, he's hit with an overwhelming feeling of contentment.

If anyone had told him six months ago that he and Kensi would be "all in" by Christmas, he would have laughed in their face and thrown in a massive eye roll for good measure. After "shit hit the fan", as she so accurately put it, he had been afraid that he put the nail in their coffin when he returned her father's knife and put the brakes on their thing.

He should have known though, that Kensi Blye does not give up on what she wants. And apparently, she wants him, though that revelation still catches him by surprise.

Taking a calm, deep breath, he closes his eyes and his mind drifts over the events of the past year. It had not been an easy road but it brought them here and that is all he can really ask for.

* * *

Much like he promised her last year, she had made the same promise to him all those months later – to be patient. The weeks following their talk had been about the two of them reconnecting as partners and friends without the added pressures of a romantic relationship. It had been just what they needed.

Most importantly, that time had given Deeks a lot of opportunities to think. It wasn't a question of whether or not he _wanted _to be with Kensi – there was no doubt in his mind that she was what he wanted. But after what happened in Afghanistan, he had realized that he wanted her so badly, it had caused him to lose control. That was not something he was okay with and he was desperate to forget it and move on.

"**I just want to forget what happened."**

If there was one thing that made his heart hurt, it was seeing his strong, beautiful Kensi in pain. He had known that the interview with Chief Investigator Wallace probably wouldn't be easy for her, but he still hadn't been prepared for how shaken up she had been.

When she had allowed him to pull her into his arms, he wanted nothing more than to ease her suffering. He knew what it was like to have something so horrible happen that you wish you could pretend it never did. He also knew that trying to forget was not the answer.

Then, without any warning, realization hit him like a tidal wave. That is exactly what he had been doing with the events in Afghanistan. He couldn't believe he hadn't seen it sooner.

"_You just have to make peace with it,"_ as he muttered those words, they were meant for himself as much as they were meant for her.

"**I only ever want you to see the best parts of me."**

It was irrational, really, for Kensi to think that he wouldn't accept and love the best, worst, and in between parts of her. Yet, he had understood completely. It was one of the driving forces that had made him step back in the first place and it was that understanding that made him want to leap forward now.

Something about her nervous declaration had suddenly made everything crystal clear for him. She had seen and heard about some of the worst parts of him and she was still here. She had continued to fight for him and for them. That afternoon, Deeks had realized that what she needed (even if she didn't recognize it) was to know that he could love _all_ of her. Hell, he already did.

They could do this. _He_ could do this. They just had to be patient _together_ and to communicate. Admittedly, those were two things they weren't always great at, but whatever this thing between them was and could be, it was too important to not give their very best efforts.

Nothing had really changed and yet it felt as though everything was different. That peace he needed, he could find it in her. He could find it in the knowledge that they shared the same fears and in the belief that she thought he was worth something.

"…**I'm bringing Monty and we talked about it and we think you should come."**

All along, he had never intended to take this trip without her – he just wanted to get them away from LA, away from work, away from their everyday "normal". He had hoped it could be about the two of them, and about defining their thing once and for all.

He could admit that he had been pretty nervous – okay, he had been _really_ nervous – when he brought up his holiday plans and he knew the implications behind what this trip would mean for them had been obvious despite his best attempts to appear casual. His nerves had caused his invitation to come out quite awkwardly (had he really accidentally referred to Kensi as a dog? Smooth), but he was comforted by the fact that her acceptance of said invitation had seemed just as anxious.

The "easy" part was over, she had agreed to come. All that was left was for him to tell her how he felt and what he wanted. When they got to Mammoth, he had planned to wine and dine her (with pizza and beer of course) and lay it all out there. All he had been able to do in the meantime was hope that she was still ready for him.

"**This job tends to ruin any chance of a personal life."**

Well, shit.

That's all he had been thinking after that little conversation outside Joelle's house. Maybe she had just spooked herself a bit; panicked about their trip, knowing that it was anything but just a convenient, practical vacation shared by friends. He could understand that; if he was being honest, it freaked him out too.

But, he would have been lying if he'd said it didn't make him second guess everything he had been planning to tell her but something deep down told him that she still wanted this. He prayed he wasn't wrong.

"**Oh my gosh. You plan these things to say and when the time comes, you can't say them."**

Deeks had been convinced, in that moment, that Kensi was going to back out of their trip. His mind had been racing, trying to figure out how he had misread the signs. Sure, to anyone else they had been subtle signs, but he _knew _her and he had been pretty sure they were finally on the same page.

While he had been standing there, rather stoically, he had suddenly felt her hand reach for his as she laced their fingers together and stated that she wanted to be bold _with him_.

He had _so_ quickly convinced himself that she was stepping even further back, that to say he was surprised at her physical connection, would have been a gross understatement. Apprehensive but hopeful, he had needed more verbal confirmation that she readily gave with a gentle determination in her voice; _"No more games."_

"**All in."**

Those two words, coming from her beautiful mouth, had lifted a weight off his shoulders that he hadn't even realized he still carried. A weight that held a lifetime of feeling inadequate and it had suddenly vanished. This woman – his kickass Kensalina; his Fern – wanted to take a chance on them. On _him. _It was a very overwhelming revelation and he hoped he never took it for granted.

"**Tonight."  
"Tomorrow."  
"And the day af—"**

He hadn't been able to stop himself from kissing her. He knew they were in public and that Sam and Callen were somewhere around the rink, but he just couldn't _not_ kiss her after everything she had said. He thinks maybe he had needed to convince himself it was real, like if she didn't push him away he would know that he wasn't dreaming.

She had smiled a shy, but bright smile and met him eagerly for a second kiss and Deeks had known that he was done for. He still hadn't been convinced that he wasn't dreaming, but they were kissing and they were all in, so he didn't care if he never woke up.

* * *

He may not be sleeping right now, but something was pulling him gently from his daydream. He opened his eyes and looked down to see Kensi starting at him curiously as she pushed some hair out of his eyes.

"Thinking about how awesome I am?" she prodded with a small smirk, repeating his question from earlier.

"Among other things," he mumbled against her forehead as he pressed his lips to her skin, "Like how you stole my thunder."

Her head snaps up as she glares at him questioningly and finds him trying to stifle his laughter.

"I _what_?"

"Stole my thunder," he repeats with a curt nod of his head, "You and your little declaration on the ice skating rink. You just _schtole_ it."

He can't hide the playful twinkle in his eyes as she rolls her eyes at him. Before she can ask the question he knows is coming, he starts placing soft kisses on the shell of her ear as his hand makes its way under the hem of her tank top until he feels her bare skin.

"Wh-what in the world are...are you talking about?" she stammers, quickly losing the ability to focus on their conversation with his breath blowing across her ear and his fingers leaving goose bumps in their wake.

He pulls back to grin at her, "I may have intended on having very similar heart-to-heart with you once we'd gotten up here. But you just couldn't let me have my moment, could you?"

Kensi shakes her head at him, a small smile spread across her face.

"Are you complaining?" she retorts with a short chuckle as she pushes herself up so she can kiss him properly, her hand seeking his taut stomach beneath his t-shirt.

Deeks breaks their kiss just long enough to respond, "Never. I probably should have expected it anyway," he leans forward, his lips hovering just millimeters away from hers as he whispers, "you've always been a one-upper."

* * *

**I had some trouble with the middle part of this chapter – I felt like we weren't really given any insight into how Deeks went from pushing Kensi away to being ready to be all in so I was trying to make sense of it myself before I could write it. I hope it came out the way I'd intended. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - When I wrote the first two chapters back in March, I never really thought I'd have trouble continuing the story. But aside from Expiration Date and Fighting Shadows, we weren't given much significant Densi to go on in the second half of the season. I debated marking this complete last week but since I never intended Ch 2 to be the end, it was bugging me to mark it complete without actually adding more. Thankfully, this little inspiration struck.**

**This picks up right after Deeks and Kensi get back from Mammoth.**

_Usual disclaimer - I own nothing_

* * *

"Do we have to go back to work tomorrow?" Deeks groans as he drops himself next to Kensi on the couch.

She gives him a pointed look, "We were lucky we got the five days off that we did – we've never gotten that many before."

Turning to look at her, his gaze drops to her mouth and he leans forward until their faces are just inches apart, "But going back to work means I can't do this–" he closes the gap and kisses her soundly, "–whenever I want to."

"No," Kensi laughs, a shy smile on her face, "No you can't. Not while we're at work anyway."

She shifts in her seat so that her body is tucked into her boyfriend's side, his arm instinctively wrapping around her as her head rests on his shoulder. She's never dreaded going back to work after a vacation as much as she does right now. The memories of what happened the last time they tried to take this leap keep coming back to her no matter how hard she tries to tell herself that it's different now.

Last year, they weren't ready for this - s_he_ wasn't ready for this – it was spontaneous and driven by a desire that was too strong for either one of them to think rationally about the aftermath. They hadn't had time to talk about how to make them work as partners in the field _and_ partners at home – hell, they hadn't even had time to get her a different shirt – and it had nearly destroyed them.

Now, Kensi's pretty sure that she couldn't be more ready. She's spent most of the past few months thinking of little else. And yet, something about tomorrow scares her. They won't be able to pretend they're just a boy and a girl, with all the time in the world. They're going to be thrust back into the dangers of their job and face situations that are hard enough when you aren't in a relationship with your partner.

"Kens?" Deeks' voice breaks her out of her stupor.

Wordlessly, she reaches for his other hand and weaves her fingers with his, "Tell me again that all hell isn't going to break loose tomorrow or next week or next month."

Deeks pulls her even closer and rests his head on top of hers, letting out a long, deep breath, "You're not second-guessing this – us – right?" He wishes he didn't sound so scared of that question, but it's been his biggest fear for the past week – that she's going to have some epiphany and realize that this may not be worth it. "No regrets?"

"What? Deeks, no!" Kensi's stunned reaction is oddly comforting as her eyes dart to his and she exhales. "Absolutely not," her voice a tad more controlled, "It's just…"

"History isn't on our side," he finishes her thought and she nods in agreement.

If Deeks could wipe a good eighty percent of the past year from his memory, he'd do it in a heartbeat. That night he had asked her on a date without actually asking her on a date was equal parts amazing and doomed, right from the start. They didn't really think and they definitely didn't talk – all they did was act on years of building sexual tension that had eventually teamed up with actual feelings that he's pretty sure could only be described as love.

The day after had been a disaster, the five months after that were basically horrible, and even after Kensi had come home, it took them a while to fall back into a rhythm with each other. Both traumatized in their own way about that entire year, they had finally gotten to _this_ point and he's feeling confident that they're ready to take on this thing of theirs now.

"I _promise_ you," Deeks drops a lingering kiss to her temple, "it will be different. We're ready to make this work."

"All we have to do is talk about it, right?" Kensi adds, a slight smile flitting across her face.

Talking about anything meaningful has certainly never been a strength for them, but after everything that's happened in the last year, it suddenly seems almost easy.

"And kiss," Deeks mumbles against her skin as he peppers kisses along her jaw.

"Kissing is going to make this work?" Kensi snorts and tilts her head to the side, giving him better access to her neck as he continues to drag his lips over her exposed flesh.

"Well," He lifts his head and smiles cheekily, "it certainly isn't going to hurt."

* * *

"You ready for this?" Deeks reaches across the center console and squeezes Kensi's hand before they move to get out of the car.

Kensi had been nervous about carpooling into work – afraid they were showing their hand before the game even got started. She didn't want to face questioning looks and silent exchanges between their teammates as soon as they walked through the doors.

Deeks had argued it was more common than not for them to arrive at work together in the morning, even before their mornings included waking up in bed together.

The "discussion" had ended about as quickly as it had started when he pinned her to the mattress, methodically kissing his way down her half-naked body, seeking out the very-recently discovered sensitive spot on her hip.

"_If you don't want to carpool, I'm going to have to stop doing this so that I can go home and get ready."_

Her breathless whimper was the only admission of defeat Deeks had needed.

Taking a deep breath, Kensi nods, "Let's do it."

Closing her eyes, she instantly regrets her choice of words. Without even looking, she can see the cocky grin on Deeks' face and the mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No," she's shaking her head as she quickly exits the car, grabbing her bag from the back seat, "Just, no."

"I didn't say anything!" He's trying – and failing – not to laugh as he grabs his own bag and meets her at the back of the car. He loves getting her all flustered. "Though I'm not surprised you can't stop thinking about _it_. We certainly did a lot of _it_ the past week. You know, we might have time, if we—"

"Oh my God. Deeks. Stop."

Stepping into her personal space, he grins at the impatient look she gives him and keeps his voice low, "You didn't want me to stop this morning."

Kensi's eyes snap to his as her hand flies to cover his mouth, "Would you be quiet? Someone might hear you."

Deeks presses a quick kiss to her palm before she pulls it away. He tilts his head, regarding her softly, "Relax, Fern, we're on the same page. No one needs to know about us yet. One day at a time, remember? Let's get through today."

She flashes him a grateful smile, "Then tomorrow. Then the day after," she responds and turns to walk towards the oversized doors of the mission.

* * *

"That wasn't so bad," Deeks plops down on his couch after they get home from work.

Dropping her bag on the floor, Kensi glares at him, "Speak for yourself. I had to ramble on about a relaxing spa retreat that I didn't go on."

"Hey!" he shoots her a look of faux-outrage, "I didn't do most of what I told the guys I did, either! Since when is Sam so curious about snow conditions? It's not like I could tell him I was only focused on getting in a couple of runs so that I could get my girlfriend out of her snow gear as soon as possible."

With a good-natured roll of her eyes, Kensi ruffles his hair and makes her way into the kitchen in search of take-out menus.

The work day had been quiet, which of course only seemed to make it harder to hide the change in the status of their relationship. At least when they're on a case, they spend good chunks of the day by themselves, which would make it less-than-pertinent to watch what they say.

Sitting around the bullpen most of the day, however, was awkward at best.

Kensi startles slightly when she feels a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist from behind, a shaggy head coming to rest on her shoulder.

"We were fine," Deeks assures her and presses a kiss to her neck.

"I felt like they could see right through us," she sighs, relaxing into his embrace.

"That's only because _you_ know things are different," he shrugs nonchalantly. "They don't know anything."

Kensi turns to look at him, opening her mouth as if to say something before closing it again.

"Now," Deeks continues, a smug grin on his face, "there is something about today that we need to talk about."

She eyes him suspiciously, "What…?"

Pinning her against the counter, he leans forward and presses a languid kiss to her lips. When he pulls back to speak, his voice is slightly breathless, "You may want to limit how often you ask me to spar with you in the gym if you're hoping to keep us a secret."

"Oh?" The amusement in Kensi's eyes betrays the look of confusion she's trying to give him.

"Mm-hmm," he steps back and there's a devious spark in his eyes, "I know you just couldn't wait to get your hands…your legs…and your body all over me, but next time, I can't make promises that my behavior will remain work-appropriate."

"Well, Detective…" Kensi bites her bottom lip and she looks at him seductively before she brushes past him and makes her way towards his bedroom, "it's a good thing you don't need to be work-appropriate now."

Deeks chuckles and quickly follows her down the hallway. Their laughter fills the apartment as he wrestles her to the bed.

One day down.  
Bring on tomorrow.


End file.
